I Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing."
It is a short, simple, unbendable instruction. The simple definition of the word 'pray' is 'to ask.' We should be constantly talking to God, asking: asking for the next step to take; asking for understanding; asking for our needs and desires.
God dwells constantly with the believer, so it should only be natural that you are constantly talking to God, just like you would talk to a friend who is close. Wouldn't it be strange to spend time with a friend - hiking, or eating a meal together, or going bowling - and never say a word to one another? How much more, then, should we talk constantly to God as we walk with Him!
When you have a need, go to God. God is the provider of our needs and wants (Matthew 7:11, James 1:17). In fact, Jesus declared in John 14:12-14 that, through faith-filled prayer, we can do "greater works" than what Christ did on Earth!
When we pray, God seems to have a priority order in which He works to fulfil the need.
First, He corrects you if necessary:
Is the request a lustful one? (James 4:3)
Instead, is the request one that helps you do what God has called you to do? (John 14:11)
Do you need correction in your life that will resolve the request? For instance, if you are short $500 every month for your bills, but spend $500 every month on alcohol, cigarettes, and casinos, God will lovingly correct your wrong behavior and misplaced priorities, and that will resolve the need (Revelation 3:19).
Secondly, He uses other believers (II Corinthians 8:1-5) When you don't have the capability of meeting your needs yourself, God will often use other believers to meet the need that you have taken to God in prayer. II Corinthians 8 is one example of how Paul, in serving God, received unsolicited gifts from the people in the church at Corinth. God put Paul's needs on the hearts of his people, who took care of it. Though he doesn't have to, God delights in using His children to meet needs (Luke 6:38)!
I could give you several personal testimonies of times when I had an urgent need, and took it to God alone. While I was praying, God put that need on another brother's heart, without anyone but God telling him about it. Then, my prayer to God about the need was interrupted by the phone call of that other brother - calling me to meet the need that I had told God alone about.
Thirdly, He uses non-believers. What if God's children are not listening to God's direction (it happens!) or are not able to meet the need? Then God will use other, unsaved men to help.
Consider heathen King Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-2), whom God used rebuild the Jewish Temple after the Babylonian Captivity. Consider the widow woman, who did not yet know the Lord, but God used her to meet Elijah's need (I Kings 17:9). There are many other Biblical examples of God using whomever He will to answer the prayers and needs of His people!
Finally, when human resources are exhausted, God uses supernatural means to answer our prayer requests.
Consider the ravens that brought Elijah his meals (I Kings 17:4). Read about the protection of the heavenly, angelic host that was seen in response to Elisha's prayer (II Kings 6:16-18). Consider the thousands that Jesus fed, when, in earthly terms, there were only five loaves and two small fishes available (Mark 6:35-44)
Here is the point: pray without ceasing! Never stop praying! Prayer is the key to God's definition of success. Take your confusion to God, not man, and ask Him for counsel. Take your decisions to God, not man, and ask Him for direction. Take your needs and wants to God, not man, and you will find that He will answer in ways that only He is capable! By depending upon God, and not man, you will see miracles every day that others miss out on - because prayer works!
Psychology does not solve man's problems, because the problem is deeper than psychology. Psychology can only hope to change man's behavior, whereas the change that is required is a heart change.
Psychology is too shallow to fix the problem; only Christ can change the heart, and then produce the fruit of changed behavior. Psychology treats the symptoms, but not the problem itself.
Matthew 12:35, "A good man out of the good treasure of the HEART bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."
Luke 6:45, "A good man out of the good treasure of his HEART bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his HEART bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the HEART his mouth speaketh."
If you have never trusted Christ to save you and change your heart, contact me and I will show you from the Bible how to do so.
I thought that I would take a few minutes to give you a family and ministry update.
Meeting in the Park
When the Lord burdened our hearts to move to California and plant a church, we “got all of our ducks in a row” – so we thought. We had a place to meet, a place to live, and work lined out to support the ministry. Things did not work out that way, as each of those provisions had hidden “strings” attached – strings by which I could not Biblically abide.
Yet, as each of these “ducks” fell out of line, the burden that God had given us grew stronger, and the need for a Biblical church here grew more evident. I spoke with my sending pastor (Steven Harper, Grace Baptist Church in Cle Elum, WA), and we determined to continue, while seeking the Lord’s direction and provision.
These circumstances led us to search the Scriptures more, and we found again and again how that Jesus’ ministry was carried out very much in public – the seaside, the plains, the mountain – places that we might call parks. We began meeting weekly in Mill Creek Park in Los Molinos, CA, and have had the opportunity to meet and work with about two-dozen families who have shown interest in growing in the Lord with our new church. They don’t all show up at once, and some are elderly shut-ins to whom we go and visit regularly. We have been meeting as a church every week, and Grace and Truth Baptist Church became an autonomous church on September 17th, 2023 (nearly one year ago).
We have been told that if we meet in the park, the weather will shut us down. Yet, even through the rainy season, we did not get wet even once. On more than one occasion, God held off the rain until immediately after services were over.
We were told that a building is essential for a church (Jesus evidently did not know this) and that our ministry would be limited without one. Yet, we have had all sorts of opportunities to reach the folks who live in the mobile home park next door, whom we would not otherwise have met. We had the opportunity to reach a group of Hispanics who played volleyball next to us every week for several months. In spite of a language barrier, they were receptive to receiving Spanish Bibles that we gave them, and instructed their children to listen and interpret for them several times.
I believe that one day, God will give us a building. We almost had one a few times. Renting a building has proven unsuccessful, because public halls have told us that they cannot rent to a church in California because of “separation of church and state.” Privately-owned buildings that are available have also declined to rent to us, because, as they put it, they have “no desire to rent to a church.” Until God provides a building, however, we will continue to meet publicly in the park; and, so far, that has not hindered the ministry at all.
Baptism, Salvation, and Baptism
One of the advantages of meeting openly in a park, and baptizing in the nearby river, is that sometimes people end up in church without realizing it.
One of the first folks to begin attending is a man by the name of Randy. Randy grew up Greek Orthodox, but trusted Christ as his personal Saviour as a boy. While in the Army, he jumped out of an airplane with a broken parachute, and decided that it was a great time to get right with God. He survived the fall, and has spent some years recovering. He has been attending church faithfully since we began meeting.
Due to his religious background, we spent several months going through what the Bible has to say about salvation, and then baptism, to make sure that he understood the truth outside of his religious upbringing. He became convicted that he needed to be Scripturally baptized, which we did in the river near the park. That baptism allowed me to present the Gospel to several families who “just happened to be there.”
One man who was there was a friend of Randy’s. He began attending services the following week, and trusted Christ as his Saviour the week after that. His name is Marcos. As I began to work with him on the subject of salvation, and later baptism, I came to find out that Randy had already began to witness to and disciple Marcos. Unknown to me, he had been taking my material on salvation and baptism that I had shared with him, and began teaching it to Marcos outside of church services. What a blessing this was!
Marcos had planned a time to be baptized when his kids and mother could be there. However, he called me one Sunday night and told me that he had read in the Bible about the Philippian Jailer, and how that he was baptized at midnight after getting saved. He told me that as much as he wanted his kids there, it was more important to him that he obeyed the pattern of the Bible, and wanted to know if I could baptize him the following day. So, we had a service that Monday, and had some more unsuspecting visitors in church.
One young lady who was there began asking questions about salvation and baptism, almost faster than I could answer them. By the time we left there, she, her mom, her siblings, cousins, and aunt, committed to coming to services, and were inviting other strangers at the park to join them. I believe that, in time, this group will grow as folks get saved and baptized and added to our church.
Pray for John and Mary
Another challenge that we needed to overcome was finding a long-term place to live. As we began to pray about it, the Lord laid on our hearts the idea of a farm for many practical reasons that have to do with the cost of living in California, as well as family and ministry-related reasons. Yet, it seemed impossible. We took it to a God who does the impossible, and He opened an opportunity for us to become the caretakers of an 80-acre farm that meets all of our needs and desires. God loves to answer prayer!
One of the first times we drove up to the farm, we met a neighbor (named Mary) who greeted us by saying that they “don’t want a preacher up here.”
Soon after this, a man (named John) got a cattle-grazing lease from our landlord, to bring cattle on our property. As the caretaker for the property, it was my job to make sure that John was following his lease, which did not set well with John. John began stealing from my landlord, and invited me to help him. I refused, which started a bit of a war. John was removed from the property, and he sued us (and lost on all counts). In retaliation, he has caused a lot of grief – from sabotaging the property, to poisoning our well tank, to vandalizing our vehicle, and more.
John and Mary became good friends, with a united vision of seeing us move off the land. Mary let John move onto her property, which gives him practical access to ours (not legally). We are praying for the salvation of John and Mary’s souls, which is the real solution to the problem. Please pray with us for this, and for the protection of our family and farm.
Laborers, Not Leaches
Jesus prayed for laborers. There are so many ministry opportunities here in California for whoever God will call, if they will determine to be laborers, and not leaches.
Dozens of churches have packed up and left California for various reasons (some economical, some political, etc.). Others have “given up” and gone in an unBiblical direction in order to draw a crowd and pay the bills. As a result, there is more ministry here than we can ever accomplish on our own.
Regularly, I have people seeking me out concerning Biblical and spiritual needs. One man came up to me in a park where I had taken my family for a picnic. Even though that is not the park where we meet, he said that we looked like ‘church people’ and that we might be able to help him. He told me how that he had trusted Christ as His Saviour, but the church that led him to the Lord had packed up and left, and he wanted to know if I knew where a church that used the King James Bible could be found. I could tell you story after story like this.
The job of planting a church in California will not be accomplished with college text-book solutions. I have been told that “if you are not running 200 or more in 6 months or less, then God hasn’t really called you there.” This won’t work for the small farm towns where God has called us.
This is one of many reasons that we did not go on deputation before coming here. To spend 2 or 4 years on deputation to get 2 or 4 years of support will net us nothing, when what is necessary is to put down roots, work, struggle, and pray with people on level ground with them, and build long-term relationships with folks who will eventually listen to the Gospel.
We have been convinced over and over that God will provide. He has directed some to support our work here from time to time, for which we are grateful. We have many needs and goals, but the same Lord Who instructed us to pray for our daily bread, delights in daily meeting our needs if we but ask.
If you know anyone who needs graphics or website work, please pass my name along, as we use such work to support our ministry. More importantly, please pray with us that souls will be tender to hearing the Gospel, and that God will raise up obedient laborers to reach the many spiritual needs that surround us.
In Christ, Jared & Krysta Watkins Enoch, Ezra, Ezekiel, and EdWord
A few years back, I won a hatchet-throwing contest at a men's retreat and was awarded this machete. Today, I was very grateful for it, as I used it to kill a rattlesnake that was pestering my kids and animals. I'm super thankful to God for His protection, and let me tell you: it was way more exciting than watching a nature documentary. Boy can those things strike!
First, I cut it in half with my machete. Then we stoned it with large rocks. Then Enoch cut off its head with a shovel. Then we beat it to death some more. Then we drowned it in a bucket of water for five or ten minutes. Then we beat it even more. Now the boys are out digging a deep hole in which to bury its head.
As a preacher, I got so many sermon illustrations out of this experience. For example, when the old serpent (the devil) raises its ugly head in your life or family, you better go after it and MAKE SURE it's really dead. As you wield your machete of Scripture, you can use the tools of honesty, diligence, accountability, and humility to beat the living daylights out of that sin problem!
Best we can tell, it was a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, which rarely grow above 2.5 feet. This was a big one, though. According to my tape measure, it was 39.5 inches long, and a little more than 3 inches around in the middle. I included a basketball in the picture for comparison.
God still answers prayer. Within seconds of gathering the family to pray about a specific and urgent need, God answered it precisely in a way that was clearly only God.
Dare to teach your kids that God hears and answers prayer, then live it by praying specifically and watching God work.
Faith = Hearing from God + Believing Him + Obeying Him
I just had the kids pull a shirt that I wanted to wear out of the washing machine that hadn't been started yet. It must be clean, right, because it was in the washer?
Thousands of people will go to church tomorrow on the same basis - hoping that being in the proximity of cleansing will make them clean. It doesn't work that way. Christ's blood must be applied personally to be effective.
Receive Christ personally. Walk with God personally. Then church will make a difference - both TO you, and THROUGH you.
Sometimes ministries become like the parking lot that I'm sitting in - highly specialized. By the time I found a parking spot that was not designated for someone (loyalty members, online orders, handicapped, veterans, families, etc), I'm pretty sure that I was in the next county.
If we're not careful in the ministry, we will become so targeted in our specialties and outreach, that we drive away the one who simply wants to learn to have an old- fashioned, daily, step-by-step walk with God.
May we be able to say with Paul in Acts 20:26-27, "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. (27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."
Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Bicycle. Mr. Bicycle has no power in himself. He is a very useful instrument to his Master, but without his Master, he is simply a collection of gears, wheels, a chain, and a steerable frame.
One day, Mr. Bicycle was sitting along the side of the road. He was leaned up against a fence, waiting upon his Master, who was inside a nearby shop, picking up a few items.
Along came Mr. Horse, who snorted and neighed, and said to Mr. Bicycle, “It is a beautiful day! You should not just be leaning here. Come, ride along with me and feel the wind on your back!”
“But I cannot,” said Mr. Bicycle, “for I have no power without the strength of my master!”
“Nonsense!” said Mr. Horse, “see how I walk freely? You have wheels, so it should be even easier for you.”
Just at that moment, there came rushing past Mr. Large Truck with many wheels and a loud engine. He came very close to Mr. Bicycle, and with the force of his swift movement, Mr. Large Truck dislodged Mr. Bicycle from the fence upon which he was leaning. With gravity pulling upon him, Mr. Bicycle began to roll forward, down the hill a short ways.
At this, Mr. Horse snorted to him, “See, Mr. Bicycle, you can move without your Master! Now, come along and let’s see where the wind takes us today;” and Mr. Horse was off to explore the world.
Mr. Bicycle, however, had reached the bottom of the hill. He crumpled a little to the ground, and could go no further, for gravity no longer had a hold on him. There he sat awhile, and thought about what the horse had said. Truly, he had moved without his Master, but he did not know how, and, try as he might, could not move any further.
Along came Mrs. Donkey, pulling a little cart, and said, “What have we here?”
Mr. Bicycle replied, “I have come down the hill here, but I cannot get back up the other side.”
“I can help you,” said Mrs. Donkey. She came close, hooking her cart onto the frame of Mr. Bicycle. Off they went, up the hill with ease. Mr. Bicycle felt light and free, as if he were flying! They did not move fast, but it was fun to move along without the burden of a rider.
It was not long, however, when Mr. Bicycle was left alone on the side of the road again. Mrs. Donkey had to turn down a trail to get back to her master, so Mr. Bicycle sat wondering how he could move forward again.
Soon, he heard a noise behind him. He could hear the sound of old Mr. Farm Truck coming put-put-putting along. As Mr. Farm Truck came alongside him, Mr. Bicycle let out with a sob, “How do you do it?! How do you move yourself along?”
Old Mr. Farm Truck could not hear very well, and did not say anything. Taking compassion on Mr. Bicycle, he towed him up into his truck bed, and they drove along together.
Now they were going fast! Mr. Bicycle was very pleased, because there was nothing that he liked better than going fast.
It began to grow dim as the sun was moving behind the mountains in the West. Mr. Farm Truck was about to turn onto a new road, and Mr. Bicycle found himself on the side of the road yet again. He sat there for a long, long time.
A thunderstorm rained water upon him for what seemed like ages. He was cold and miserable. He found himself a little rusty when the sun came out again.
Now he was in worse shape than ever before! He thought to himself, “I only wanted to move more and be free! Now I cannot even move at all. My chain is rusted, and I am useless.”
Then came his Master, on foot, and carrying a bag of tools. “Mr. Bicycle,” he said, “How did you get so far away?”
Mr. Bicycle told him all about it. He told his Master about what Mr. Horse had told him, and about Mr. Large Truck dislodging him from his place. He told about Mrs. Donkey, and old Mr. Farm Truck. He told him about the thunder and lightning and rain. When he was done telling his Master all about it, he was crying large tears, and wailed, “How will I ever be useful again?”
At that, his Master took out a can of oil and a rag, and began to clean and lubricate Mr. Bicycle’s chain. As he worked, he said, “Mr. Bicycle, I built you many years ago. I made you with a purpose. But that purpose only works if you yield to me, and wait on me. Since I built you, I can fix you, and we can ride along like new once again!”
And that is exactly what happened.Romans 6:12-14, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
To my friends who are carried along by whatever program or fast talker who comes along, please know this: eventually you will end up back along the side of the road. It is not a movement, or a program, or a fast-talking false preacher who should move you, but the hand of the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter how rusty you get, simply yield back to His hand, and He will clean you up and repair you, and make you useful again – for His purpose. To my friends who believe that they must move people, please don’t. Instead, allow God’s people to be content waiting on Him and being a light to a dark world. Lead by example, and always encourage others to be totally dependent upon the Lord, and the power of HIS might.
The Apostles declared (starting with Peter at Pentecost) that we are in the last days. We've spent 2000 years rightly expecting the imminent return of Christ. Imminence is not the problem - it is that we have forgotten that imminence is tied to the Great Commission. Each time that He was asked about His return or about the establishment of the earthly Kingdom, Christ seemed to point His disciples to their responsibility to reach the whole world with the Gospel. This was Paul's driving force, and he believed that Christ's coming was soon, not based upon a calendar date, but based upon the great traction they experienced in fulfilling the Great Commission and reaching the whole world with the Gospel. If we want imminence, we must be serious about the Gospel.
I think that one of the greatest dangers to the Christian home today is a dating spirit mixed with matchmaking family members. This creates a constant dissatisfied state where one is essentially practicing for divorce and heartache.
If, instead, we realize that God made ONE woman (Eve) for ONE man (Adam), and that God did not give them the freedom to date around, we can give our young people hope and the focus to walk with and work for God while waiting for Him to bring the perfect mate that He has designed - just for each one of them.
What a wonderful God we serve! Other so-called gods thrive on mystery and mystic powers, but the Lord desires for us to know Him and partake of His wisdom.
Reading in Proverbs 8 today, I found the discussion of wisdom. In verse 12, it says, "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions."
Later, in verse 22, it begins to declare God's wisdom in Creation and beyond, "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old."
Then, the chapter closes out by inviting us to partake in God's wisdom: "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD."
God encourages us to be a part of His wisdom and plan! What an encouragement!
I wanted to take a moment to update you on our current situation here in California.
What Was…
When the Lord first burdened our heart for the Los Molinos, CA, area last September, we sought the Lord for a plan and prepared to move down as soon as possible. Our burden is great because we have seen the need here. Many good churches of years gone by have packed up and left or else gone in a non-Biblical direction, leaving a very thirsty people with few options for Biblical, Spiritual nourishment.
We were presented with an opportunity to work for another Baptist ministry, and have an apartment to live in and a building to use to start the church. Our plan was to take several months to establish ourselves as a family, get finances stabilized between the job and my graphics business, and then begin to plant the church. We moved down to Los Molinos with our ducks seemingly in a row. However, after we moved down, we were informed that their funding had dried up for the job. Over the next few months, we realized that, while everything looked great on paper, there were some differences in doctrine, practice, and general character that would keep us from working together. We were able to use the apartment until the end of June, when we parted ways for good.
What Is…
Not having a place to meet or live has presented its own set of challenges that have given us the opportunity to trust the Lord in a greater way on a daily basis. In the several months since we have moved down to Los Molinos, we have been welcomed into the community in a very special way. Just in trying to be a blessing, we have been welcomed into many homes, and have been able to share the gospel with many needy people without even attempting to plant the church yet. We have been able to minister to about fifteen families who have said that they will be there when the church opens, and are thirsting for a church.
Because of these kind folks who want and need a church, it has put a ‘burr under our saddle’ to find a way to make this happen, with God’s help. We found a temporary place to stay in a nearby town, and have opened an office for my graphics / web business also. Every week, at our sending pastor’s recommendation, we meet with whoever wants to hear the Gospel, normally at a local park.
What Is To Come…
Please pray that God will provide for
Permanent housing for us
A place for a church to meet when started
Stabilization of our finances to be able to continue moving forward
Most importantly, the folks here who have graciously allowed us into their homes with God’s Word. Among them, here are some specific prayer requests:
Elizabeth and her husband, both in their upper seventies, and both of whom fight cancer. She has a clear testimony of salvation and has been praying for a church to help her win her neighbors. Her husband is not saved and is playing around with superstition and witchcraft from his old country (Mexico) in hopes of curing his cancer. Please pray for his salvation.
Rose, and her family, who have asked a lot of questions concerning salvation, and are hoping for the church to be started soon. They are trying to find the answers to mend a broken home.
Bertha, a lady in her eighties who has been through some terrible tragedies. She is currently battling cancer and lupus, and meets with us. She has a testimony of being saved and baptized in an independent Baptist Church several years ago. Despite the tragedies that have taken nearly everything from her, she has a sweet spirit and seeks a Biblical church.
There are several other families who have only ever known Catholicism, but are very welcoming and thirsty for the truth. There are others who were part of other independent Baptist Churches of years gone by, that have been left without direction since their churches disappeared. There are about twenty towns in a 30-mile radius here that have no Gospel-preaching church any more.
It is my conviction and burden that light is most effective in the darkness. We were given a Great Commission to reach the World with the Gospel. It may be convenient or safe to move to a place that is more accepting of a Biblical worldview or more politically- or family-friendly, but those Christians who have moved on have left a needy gap behind. If God will graciously allow us to stay here, we hope and pray that we can fill that gap with a lighthouse that can point people to Christ.
In Christ’s Love,
Jared & Krysta Watkins Enoch, Ezra, Ezekiel & EdWord
Sending Church: Grace Baptist Church, PO Box 231, Cle Elum, WA 98922 - Pastor Steven Harper
In II Chronicles 26, we find the story of the good King Uzziah, who began to reign when he was sixteen. He sought to honor the Lord, and did right and prospered with strong, Godly leadership.
With that strength, however, came pride. He thought that he had no limits. In his pride, he usurped the authority of the priest and burned incense in the Temple.
First, we see the mercy of God. The priests came and kindly corrected the King, explaining why he was wrong. They offered him a humble way out of the bad situation.
Next, we see the pride of the King. When corrected, he became very angry. Instead of repenting, he became hardened in his sin, and proceeded to knowingly do wrong.
Finally, we see the judgment of God. In the midst of his anger, God struck the King with leprosy.
Here is the saddest part: the great King who knew the great strength of the hand of God on his life became satisfied with leprosy. Instead of humbling himself, he let his son do his job as King, and died defeated. How sad to see such a strong king go to his grave in defeat!
How about you? Have you made some prideful mistakes? Take part in God's mercy, before the problem gets worse. Whatever you do, don't become satisfied with defeat. God's mercy is new every morning, and the same God who brings judgment delights to bring restoration through our repentance.
2 Chronicles 26:16-21, "But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. (17) And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: (18) And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. (19) Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. (20) And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. (21) And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land."
I really believe that every Christian should have a ministry. Not everyone needs a “stand up in front of others and speak” ministry, or a ministry that requires full-time support. The reality is, however, that no man is an island, and since one is always touching other people’s lives, he should use his life as an opportunity to serve others and glorify God.
Put another way, every Christian *HAS* a ministry; the question is: are you going to embrace it and be led by the Spirit of God, or are you going to serve in the weakness of the flesh. In the book of Judges, we find the story of an unlikely minister – Samson. His life was such a tragedy that we may wonder, “Could God even use him?!”
Samson’s ministry was thrust upon him from before birth, but he was never really thrilled about it. Even his parents thought that his life choices prevented him from being used by God, but that was not so. Judges 14:4 says this, “But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.”
In our pride and in our critical spirits, we think that God uses us because we are pretty awesome and make great Christ-honoring choices. However, if God could use a donkey to speak the truth to Balaam (in Numbers 22) or the heathen king, Cyrus, to enable God’s people to rebuild the temple, he can certainly whoever he will.
Samson was useful to the Lord – but imagine how much better it would have been if he had not served in the flesh. Imagine how different his life would have been had He willingly lived to glorify God! Let’s take a look now at three signs that you, like Samson, might be serving in the flesh.
First of all, Samson was Motivated by Anger.
Judges 14:19 says, “And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.”
The first part of this verse shows how that Samson was used by God to get at the Philistines. However, the verse ends by noting his anger. It was as if his ministry allowed him access to the Spirit of God, to do a good thing, but he did so with an angry, selfish motivation.
We should not be fooled into thinking that our anger is a good thing, because it seems to produce desired results from time to time. The Bible clearly tells us in Ephesians 4 to put away *ALL* wrath and anger. Surely things are going to come in life to make us angry; in the case of Samson, these things came about as a result of his own choices. However, we are supposed to put that anger away from us, and allow the Spirit of God to work instead.
Truly the Spirit of God was at work with Samson, but imagine how much better it would have been if his anger had not been present. With his fleshly anger out of the way, the Spirit of God would have had more freedom to show that this was the work of God, not the vengeance of an angry man.
Secondly, Samson’s Heart Was in the Wrong Place.
When Samson got in trouble with Delilah, the Bible says this in Judges 16:17-18, “That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. (18) And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.”
Samson’s heart should have been dedicated to God, motivated and controlled by the Spirit of God. Instead, he gave his heart to Delilah, and that ultimately cost him his eyes and then his life.
How often do we see men and women of God who are grudgingly serving God. It is like it has been thrust upon them, but their hearts are elsewhere! Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in the Lord with “all thine heart” and the result will be the step-by-step direction of God in our lives.
If you are trusting the Lord with *all* your heart, then any other relationships and pursuits will be motivated and in alignment with the heart of God. Oh what a different story Samson’s life could have been had he submitted to the Lord with all his heart!
Finally, Samson’s Service to the Lord Required Personal Vindication.
Judges 16:28 says, “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.” Samson would go on to kill himself and more Philistines than he had previously in all events put together.
His life ended here, with Samson looking to be avenged – vindicated – justified, in his very last breath. He was okay with God’s work being accomplished, but this was personal. This was for him – not for God.
When I think of many other servants of God whom He used to bring deliverance to God’s people, I see men like Gideon, and women like Deborah, who completely surrendered their hearts and lives to be used by God. When God brought deliverance, they glorified Him for his might acts, and lived to see the goodness of God and the peaceful liberty of His people. Not so with Samson. He lived in the flesh and died, still seeking validation. He never got to see the results of God’s deliverance.
I wonder how much time and deliverance is lost when we live our lives like Samson! What does it cost when we must be justified in the eyes of others? What effectiveness is lost when we will glorify God, but only if we get something out of it, too?
Remember, Christian, you have a ministry! Are you going to embrace it by allowing the Spirit of God to guide you step by step, or are you going to live life in the flesh like Samson? Either way, God will be glorified, but it is much sweeter to be part of glorifying God instead of serving as a bad example.
The Book of Judges is a book that tells us about the tragedies that came upon Israel after the death of Joshua. During Joshua’s life and leadership, there was victory and triumph as God’s blessing was poured out in their obedience. When the next generation came along, however, all of that evaporated! How did this happen?
First, the parent’s generation went soft on sin. They had been commanded to drive out all the wicked inhabitants of Canaan, but notice what Judges 1:28, 32 says: “And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out…. (32) But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.”
Notice that it says, “when Israel was strong.” We have to watch ourselves when we feel strong. Many great tragedies occur directly after a time of great victory. Sometimes, this is because we get prideful when God brings victory, and we connive better, more efficient ways to “serve God” instead of doing it His way. In the case of the Israelites here, they thought that having the Canaanites as slaves was a ‘way better idea’ than following God’s plan.
The second mistake that the parent’s generation made was that they didn’t pass on to their children the goodness of God. Judges 2:10 says, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”
Here’s the thing about telling about the miracles of God in your life: it makes you vulnerable, and God is always the hero. It takes humility to admit that you messed up, and God delivered you. It is perhaps natural to try and appear strong and heroic to your children, and act as if you have always ‘had it all together,’ but this puts your children in a vulnerable position. If you instead talk about the bad habits and family curses of the past, and glorify God by recounting His deliverance, you put your children in a position to realize that no matter how they fail, turning to God is always the answer!
The final mistake that the parent’s generation made is to emphasize religious acts instead of a walk with God. We see this come out in the lives of the next generation in Judges 2:11, where it says, “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:”
Notice here, that the children’s generation was religious. They *SERVED* Baalim. What was missing in their religion was a genuine walk with God. Since they didn’t know God and didn’t know of God’s deliverance, their religious acts pulled them away from God, and into heathen idolatry.
It is tempting to train our children in mindless obedience – to obey their parents no matter what without question. This produces beautiful replicas of ourselves that are all dressed up in cute church clothes and hair-sprayed curls, but are empty inside, void of any true walk with God. Some day that veneer cracks, and the children are left to figure out life without the presence of the Author of life. Though obedience and honor should certainly be trained into our children, it cannot be done with lasting effects unless there is the foundation of a personal walk with God. We cannot eliminate our children’s free will in hopes of making them super Christians; all we will do is make them super religious and empty of the Spirit of God.
It has been said that we are always only one generation away from extinction. This is certainly true if we make these mistakes that Israel did after the death of Joshua. Instead, we should walk step by step in obedience and fellowship with the Lord, and bring our kids up along side us so that they know first-hand the goodness, deliverance, and miracles of God!
In Leviticus 9:23-24, we read, "And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. (24) And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces."
What a wonderful thing to behold - God's fire coming down and consuming the sacrifice! The people who saw it were affected by it - they shouted and fell on their faces.
In the very next verses (10:1-2), we see the sons of Aaron (Nadab and Abihu) getting into the act and taking advantage of the emotions of the people. They offered incense, but this time, they manufactured the splendor for their own glory; God's fire didn't come down, but that was okay - they had their own fire. When God fire showed up, it was to consume Nadab and Abihu!
We often see such things happen today - a show of our own trying to evoke the reaction of God's people but not in God's way!
Sometimes it is fog machines, skinny jeans, and devilish music that is trying to get an emotional response from people. Maybe it is opportunists who take advantage of the tender hearts of God's people and try to replace prayer meetings with multi-level marketing scams. Maybe it is simply allowing routine and schedules to take the place of the living presence of God in our midst!
It is time that we get back to doing God's work God's way. God is just as passionate and jealous as He ever was. Learn from the example of Nadab and Abihu, and seek the mercy and grace of God while there is still a window of time available to make a difference in a Godless world!
Thomas Jefferson once said that "...ignorance of the law is no excuse." This concept is a Biblical one, as found in the Old Testament law in passages like Leviticus 5:17-19. Just because "you didn't know" doesn't mean that you are not guilty.
This idea is foundational to understanding our sin nature as well as the mercy and grace of God. I am struck in reading these passages in Leviticus, because God mercifully made a way for forgiveness, even in the midst of our ignorance. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). Even before we recognized our need for a Saviour, Christ had it covered - with His blood.
As our society loses its sense of personal responsibility, it seems that people get offended more and more at the suggestion that they are sinners in need of a Saviour. If a bridge were out on a road on which a person was speedily driving, they will be just as dead if they go over the edge of that cliff in ignorance as they would if they saw a sign that said, "Bridge Out Ahead," and proceeded anyway. The fact is, there are consequences for sin, whether or not we want to hear about it; and there is mercy and forgiveness waiting.
As born-again believers, we have a responsibility to warn the lost of their ignorance. It may be a thankless job at times, but one that is eternally important. May we purpose to be ever faithful to our efforts in winning souls and delivering sinners from the ignorance of entering eternity without the mercy and grace of God applied to their account. Psalm 126:6 says, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Leviticus 5:17-19 "And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. (18) And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him. (19) It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD."
What is worse than sin? Pretending it does not exist. Proverbs 26:26 says, "Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. "
Perhaps we have all known someone who greets you with a smiling face and kind words, but one can tell that underneath that smile is a bubbling cauldron of anger and bitterness. That person acts like you are wonderful, but in reality, he hates your guts!
If you struggle with bitterness or hatred toward another person, the solution is not to pretend, but to replace. Ephesians 4 deals a lot with replacing the wrong of the sin nature with the right of Christ's nature (ie, "putting away lying, speak every man truth" or "let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour").
What must come first, before you can replace evil with good in your life - the thing that makes the real difference and ensures that you are not just pretending - is found in Ephesians 4:22-24. It says, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
In order to have real, genuine change that is not simply pretending and covering the wickedness that is still there, you have to be changed spiritually. This comes from having a relationship with God, and daily, step-by-step fellowship with Him. In this way, the inward change shows itself in the outward actions.
Pretenders get exposed. Genuine Christians who walk with God, grow from their mistakes, and replace the evil of the sin nature with the character of Christ.
Do you know Christ as your Saviour? If not, trust Him and His death, burial, and resurrection to save your soul, and begin to walk with Him every moment of the day.
Romans 10:9-10, 13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.... (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
I've heard sermons preached and sung hymns based on the text from Exodus 10:11, "Go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD...." The problem is that it was Pharoah who said it, in opposition to God. It was a compromise offered to Moses.
Moses, on the other hand, had said in obedience to God, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD."
Serving God has something for everyone. God desires *EVERYONE* to have a walk with God and to learn to hear His voice. Serving God is not just for the men, who then drag their wives and children along in submission!
It takes more work to bring the whole family along in a walk with God. It is much easier to say, "This is what God wants; just submit." Instead, as fathers, we should be carefully teaching and training and bringing along EVERYONE. No one should be left behind in this wonderful journey of obedience to God.
Real men don't leave their wives and kids behind for the sake of the ministry.
Exodus 10:9 , "And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. (10) And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. (11) Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence."
First Joseph was hated for his God-given dream. Then he was sold into slavery by his own brethren. If that wasn't bad enough, he was falsely accused of a horrible crime, and ended up in prison.
It would seem that Joseph would be justified in getting bitter and angry. Not Joseph! In the midst of these terrible circumstances, we find him serving God and others! Joseph found a great ministry in the midst of his problems.
I believe that every born again Christian should have a ministry. Perhaps their circumstances or past sin might disqualify some from specific types of ministry, but they should have a ministry nonetheless.
If you are right with God, don't worry about what others think. Serve selflessly. Overcome the persecution complex. Your ministry may be simple or seemingly invisible, but it is imperative that you serve the Lord wherever you are! Don't let bitterness rob you of the blessing of serving God!
Genesis 40:5-15, "And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. (6) And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. (7) And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? ( 8 ) And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. (9) And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; (10) And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: (11) And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. (12) And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: (13) Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. (14) But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: (15) For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."
Joseph's trouble started when he shared a dream that God gave him. His brothers were already on edge with him, because of their jealousy for their father's affection. When Joseph heard from God, however, it seemed to 'throw fuel on the fire.' This started a chain of events that ultimately lead to Joseph's brothers selling him into slavery.
It was this slavery that became the path to fulfilling the dream that God gave Joseph. While it seemed that Joseph's dream caused all these trials and troubles in his life, those trials were actually causing Joseph's dream to become reality. Had Joseph kept quiet, made peace with his brothers at any cost, and avoided these terrible trials in his life, the dream that God gave Joseph would have had no path on which to travel.
Often, God's calling and direction in our lives lead through terrible tragedy or difficult circumstances. This is not an accident. These are not obstacles to overcome in order to fulfil God's plan for our lives, but rather the very path by which God's glory will be manifest.
The question is, will you be like Joseph, and say in the midst of your trials, "...Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:19b-20)
Genesis 37:5, "And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more."
Genesis 39:2-3, "And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand."
Hard times came upon Isaac, and he made what could be considered a wise, common sense decision: he would head to where things were better. So, he started to head down toward Egypt, and God stopped him before he got there. While in Gerar, the Philistine part of Canaan, God told him not to continue to Egypt. Why? Because God's call on his life was in Canaan - the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the future generations of Israel.
With God's will came God's blessing, even when it didn't seem to make sense. I wonder how many times we give up God's blessing because we want to do what seems to make sense - for our family, our future, or our goals. God will never go contrary to the principles of His Word, but sometimes His Word asks us to do difficult things --- by faith.
Faith and trust in God's word must always supersede our common sense logic. When we rely instead on our own understanding (instead of God's), we come up with heretical doctrines such as theistic evolution, modern perverted Bible versions, and sinful situational ethics.
In a practical sense, we may make ungodly moves, such as leaving the church into which God has fitly joined us (Ephesians 4:16) to pursue a safer economy or better politics. Instead of being a lighthouse in the darkness to which God has called us to make a difference, we make excuses from a "wise, common sense" perspective. Pretty soon the light is extinguished, and, living in sin apart from God's calling, we no longer see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives and future generations.
In every moment of every decision, we should seek the Lord's calling and the Lord's best. He is greater than any famine. He knows how to guide and protect.
Genesis 26:1-6, "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. (2) And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: (3) Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; (4) And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; (5) Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. (6) And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:"
In Genesis 25 and 26, there is recorded for our benefit a terrible example in parenting and family life: the story of Isaac and Rebekah. They played favorites with their children, pitted their favorite children against the other spouse, and brought division and bitterness in the midst of their family that lasted for the rest of their lives.
Perhaps Isaac could have asked himself, "Was Rebekah really the right choice?" And Rebekah might have asked the same about Isaac. Here's the truth, however: nowhere else in Scripture, except perhaps with Adam and Eve, do we have a clearer record of God choosing a mate. Remember the process that Abraham and Eliezer went through in Genesis 24 to secure God's choice of a wife for Isaac? Clearly, Rebekah WAS the perfect wife for Isaac.
Here is the point: don't let current difficult circumstances 'rewrite' history until you can manipulate yourself out of working things out with the wife that God has given you - 'until death do us part." Take the place that you are now, and refine it with God's help until it becomes perfect again - the way God intended it to be.
Genesis 24:48-52, "And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son. (49) And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left. (50) Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. (51) Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken. (52) And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth."
Noah, obeying God, did a great thing in building the Ark and saving mankind and the animals.
At Babel, men united apart from God, attempted a big thing, but were opposed and prevented by God.
Great things are possible when working with God. Working apart from God, however, will result in ultimate failure.
"And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. ( 6 ) And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. ( 7 ) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. ( 8 ) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. ( 9 ) Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." Genesis 11:5-9
Today is the First of the month, and a great day to read Proverbs Chapter 1. Here are some things that I noticed in reading through Proverbs 1.
The first few verses start out by telling us who is writing, and why:
“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction;…” (Proverbs 1:1-2a)
Verses 8, 10, 15 and others start out with the words, “My son” - so we learn that Solomon is writing to his son. He wants his son to learn wisdom. We get the benefit of learning wisdom right along side this father and son.
Here’s the point: Solomon was the was the wisest man who ever lived according to I Kings 4:31; yet his son did not automatically get wisdom. His son did not get wisdom by osmosis – he had to work for wisdom.
Wisdom is not automatic. Wisdom is found in the person of Jesus Christ. You don’t automatically get to know Christ and His wisdom, just because your dad was wise and had a walk with God. You don’t get it from being in a good church or having a good heritage. It is not automatic.
Verse 7 tells us where wisdom starts: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord – when you fear the Lord, and have a personal walk with Him, He will teach you everything that you need to know. He will give you understanding, and when you put that Godly knowledge and understanding into practice, you will have wisdom. Your daily walk with God will bring wisdom!
Wisdom requires repentance. It requires you to turn from sin to have this walk with God. In verse 10, Solomon tells his son, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
Then in verse 23, Wisdom cries, “Turn you at my reproof.” This turning – repenting from sin and turning to the fear of the Lord – is what will set you on the road to wisdom.
Here in simple terms, Solomon has laid out the reality of life to his son. Turn from sin, choose a walk with God instead, and you will find wisdom and safety, spared from the gnarly consequences of foolishness. Proverbs 1:32, “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. (33) But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”
How about you? Have you hearkened unto wisdom? Have you turned from your sin to receive Christ as your personal Saviour? He died in your place to take your consequences for your sin, and He was buried. But He did not stay in the grave – He arose the third day and proved victory – victory over sin – your sin and mine. Start on the path of wisdom today by calling on Christ alone for your salvation.
Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Which is more dangerous: a counterfeit $100 bill, or $100 in monopoly money? When I owned a restaurant years ago, I found out the hard way that counterfeit money was more dangerous, because in the busy-ness of the dinner rush, my employees couldn't tell that it was fake.
This is why "putting aside our doctrinal differences" for the sake of unity is so dangerous: in the busy-ness of life, it's hard to tell the lies from the truth. The closer a lie is to the truth, the more dangerous it is.
Mark 6:30-34, “And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. (31) And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. (32) And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. (33) And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. (34) And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.”
Serving the Lord can be a busy, and sometimes exhausting, proposition. The disciples had been working hard – and there was plenty to do, so much so that they did not have time to stop and eat. What a special thing it is here that the Lord took note of their need to rest, and told them to privately get away to a place of refreshment.
It was not so easy to get away, though – the needy people saw them escaping! Jesus spent the day ministering to the shepherd-less sheep, even though he had planned to spend the time resting with the disciples. It appears that He took this burden on Himself while allowing the Twelve Disciples to rest, because it only speaks of Jesus’ actions until the day was “far spent” and his disciples came to him, and this is consistent with the other accounts of this passage in the other Gospels (Matthew 14, Luke 9, and John 6).
To recap, Jesus had seen the disciples’ need for rest; He planned a short retreat for all of them. When the needs of the ministry pressed down on them, Jesus took care of it while the Twelve rested and waited on Him. I love the wording of the disciples to Jesus in Mark 6:35, where they told Jesus, “…This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed….” It was as if they were saying, ‘Jesus, you told us that we were going to this desert place to rest, but you have spent the whole day working! You need to rest, too!’
Jesus was not done, though; he was about to minister to the Twelve AND the multitudes by miraculously providing food for the five thousand from five loaves and two fishes. What a spectacular thing it must have been for the disciples to see Christ work here! After dinner, Jesus sent the disciples back to the boat, where He would join them soon, after He dispersed the multitudes. He was still looking after the Disciples’ need to rest! It was as if He said to them, “You go rest; I’ll do the dishes.”
What followed, as the Twelve waited on the boat for Jesus, was a spiritually troubling experience (Mark 6:49-50). They saw Jesus walking on the water to them, but in their exhaustion and in the presence of stormy conditions, they became fearful. Instead of recognizing the Lord, they were troubled! Yet, in the midst of their turmoil, Jesus ministered to them again, this time with a private miracle (Peter walking on water), and the reminder, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” (Mark 6:50).
Here is the point – sometimes it is hard to rest in the midst of serving the Lord. There are always things that need our attention. There are frightful, spiritually difficult times mixed in with “everything else.” Yet through it all, Christ still cares for us and call for us to rest in Him. He will take care of things for awhile when we need to be in the “desert place” to rest. He will minister to us in the darkness.
Are you resting in and depending upon him, so that you can hear His encouraging words, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid”?
John 6:64, "But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him."
When a Christian has trust issues that are affecting his or her behavior, it is because his or her trust is misplaced.
Jesus, our Example for how we should live our lives, knew from the beginning who, in our terms 'He could and could not trust;' yet, He served them anyway without reservation. Why? Jesus gives us the answer in John 9:4, where He said, "I must work the works of him that sent me...."
You see, Jesus trusted and obeyed God the Father. We are told in Proverbs 3:5 to "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;..." Notice that it says "all" thine heart. Just like in the example of Jesus, ALL of our trust and obedience belongs to God - even when that means loving, serving, working alongside, and washing the feet of the untrustworthy Judases in our lives.
When all of our trust belongs to God, He will guide and direct each step of our lives' path for our good and in obedience to His will (Proverbs 3:6-7). The question then is not, "Can I trust my friend / co-worker / child / spouse / etc?", but "How can I trust God and show it by serving others?"
John 8:34-36, "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you frees, ye hall be free indeed."
Too often we get this thing about sin backwards by saying that we sin because we are in bondage. How often have you heard someone say, "Well, I'm only human" as an excuse for his sin? How about this one: "Well, I was born that way."
It is true that we are born with a sin nature, but when you receive the free gift of salvation through Christ alone, He MAKES you free. Sinning, then, is not a result of addiction, but rather, you are held in addiction as long as you choose to sin.
The solution is very simple for the Christian: yield to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in your life, and don't sin. Galatians 5:16 says, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
Hebrews 9:27-28, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
The judgment of God is seen as a negative to the world - uncomfortable, unaccepting, and disapproving. It is true - you will one day die and stand in the judgment of your Creator. However, the Bible doesn't want to keep you in that negative situation; in the very same sentence in which this judgment is listed, the solution is also given. If you receive the Lord and His sacrificial offering in your place, you don't have to negatively look forward to the judgment, but rather to the coming of Christ! What a wonderful promise!
I love reading the books of Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament. I like how a decisive summary is almost always given at the beginning of each king's record of whether he served God or did evil. It says something like, "David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD... all the days of his life...."
When it comes to the account of Joash, however, it says this in II Chronicles 24:2, "And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest."
Joash was only seven years old when he became king, and a wonderful priest named Jehoiada came along side him and taught him God's ways. Jehoiada's influence was great on him, and Joash loved him and did what he was supposed to, in order to please Jehoiada.
Eventually, however, Jehoiada died, and the reality of Joash's walk with God (or lack thereof) was revealed. Evil men came in and flattered Joash, and he listened to them. This resulted in idolatry, God's judgment, a conspiracy, and the assassination of Joash. What a terrible ending for a King who seemingly started out so right!
Here's the thing - Joash only served God for Jehoiada's sake. Do you have a PERSONAL walk with God, having PERSONALLY received the Lord as your Saviour? Or are you trying to do good for the sake of your parents, your preacher, tradition, or convenience?
Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
This time of year, most people are decorating for Christmas. One of my favorite parts of Christmas decorations are the Christmas lights – the beautiful colors working together give a special Christmas glow to the room. However, have you ever gotten a string of lights untangled and plugged in, only to find out that they don’t work, because one bulb is broken or missing?
That is how it often is with the local church – someone who does not understand their responsibility to be a part of the local church is missing, and the church does not function as intended.
First Corinthians 6:19 is one of my favorite Bible verses. It says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
This verse is often used to support the wonderful and Biblical teaching of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit on an individual level, but the grammar does not support that. Here’s why: where it says “…know YE not that YOUR BODY is the temple…”, ‘ye’ and ‘your’ are plural, while ‘body’ is singular. It is talking about a single body that the whole group has in common; and that body is not one’s physical body, because then it would have said “your BODIES” (plural).
First Corinthians was written to a church. A few verses before this one in Chapter 6, Verse 15, in talks about each individual’s body belonging to the Lord: “Know ye not that your bodies [plural] are the members [plural] of Christ", but by the time you get to verse 19, it is talking about a different body: the local church. According to Ephesians 1:22-23 and Colossians 1:24, the local church is the body of Christ. It is that body (the church) which fits in the grammar here, and gives us a wonderful understanding of how things are supposed to work.
When a person receives Christ as his personal Saviour, he receives the indwelling presence of Christ. He is supposed to immediately be baptized and join the local church (Acts 2:41, 47) to which he has been fitted by God (Ephesians 4:16). Then, the light of Christ shining through that individual joins to the light of the other believers like a bright string of beautiful Christmas lights, and “A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” The dark areas of our personal lives are edified and perfected and overcome by the other saints in that church, who love each other and work together to reach the world with the Gospel.
How about you? Are you trying to be a self-sufficient Christian, independent of the local church? That’s not God’s plan. Christ died for the church (Acts 20:28), so you should be a part of it so that the light does not go out. “Ye are not your own”.
2 Chronicles 15:8, "And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD."
Wouldn't it be great if we had a sudden burst of righteous courage - the boldness to what God says is right - in our families, churches, and political leaders?
Asa, unlike his wicked father, "did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God" (II Chronicles 14:2); but he needed the courage to do more. And that courage came when the preacher came with a special message from the Lord.
Courage comes from hearing from God! You cannot expect to boldly do right God's way without the power of God that comes from fellowshipping with Him. When Asa heard from God, "he took courage."
What he had to do was not easy. It created enemies. It even required him to dethrone his grandmother from being queen (15:16) because of her idolatry!
The result of his courage and the actions that followed was all of Judah dedicating themselves with the right heart to seek the Lord, "and he was found of them" (15:15). The cycle of war was broken, and there was peace for many years (15:19), as long as Judah depended upon the Lord.
Need courage? Open God's Word daily, and spend time with the Lord in prayer. Be in your place at church, so that you can hear the preaching. Then you, too, may develop the courage to make radical, Christ-honoring change in the world around you.
"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: (18) But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.... (21) And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: (22) He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." (Exodus 13:17-18, 21-22)
We often complain about the zig-zag path on which life takes us, when we think it would be much simpler to take a short, straight line to our "promised land" goal. If the Israelites had Facebook back then, perhaps they, too, would have made funny memes about how they "just wanted to get to the Promised Land" but God took them in zig-zags all over the place first.
Verse eighteen of this passage tells us why that was - it was for their own good. They were not ready for full-on war with the Philistines, and God had some things to teach them first, mainly dependence upon Him. The short and simple, "straight-line" approach would have destroyed them.
With that zig-zag approach, however, came something wonderful: the abiding leadership of the Lord. Verses 21-22 tell us that "the LORD went before them" in the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, and that "He took not away" this obvious, visible guidance.
How about your walk with the Lord? Are you bitter that things are *not* going as simple as you imagined your walk with God? Are you frustrated that an all-powerful God won't use that power to get things done on *your* timetable? Replace that bitterness with gratefulness for the ever-abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer, and choose instead to trust and follow His leadership, realizing that He knows best!
Exodus 9:27-28, "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. (28) Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer."
Exodus 9:34-35, "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. (35) And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses."
These verses are found after the Lord brought the plague of fire mixed with hail upon Egypt. In the midst of the horror of this plague, it seems that Pharaoh repented - after all, he said all the right words! Outwardly, it sounded great, but when the circumstances changed, so did his so-called repentance.
Sometimes, as believers, we make wrong decisions that require repentance. Is it genuine repentance that returns us to the fellowship with the Lord Who died for us, and to Whom we have committed our lives? Or is circumstantial repentance, decided out of fear, in the midst of the terror of self-brought circumstances? This false, fear-based repentance is simply an attempt to manipulate the Lord.
Sometimes, as believers, I wonder if we use fear as a motivation in soul-winning, and then push a lost sinner into making a wonderful-sounding confession that is void of true repentance. We cannot do the job of the Holy Spirit, and when we try, the result is a generation of false repenters, whose manipulation "by prayer" did not work, and who, like Pharaoh, return to their old ways, unchanged and un-born-again.
2 Corinthians 7:10, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
I want to briefly give you three reasons why I love church. I think that church is one of the most wonderful and encouraging things there is. I love being there and getting involved.
1. I Love Church Because Christ Loves Church.
Ephesians 5:25b says, “…even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it”.
I want to have good character. In order to have good character, I must imitate Christ, Who is the source of Character. If I am going to imitate Christ, I must like the things He likes and do the things He does.
Christ loves church. He loves church so much that He died for it. He didn’t just die for us to have a way out of Hell and into Heaven – though that is a wonderful thing; but the verse says he died for *the church*. The church enables us to live and grow in Him and be encouraged and fruitful *until* Heaven.
Jesus started the first church while on Earth, and then instructed that church in how to start other churches, putting all power in heaven and earth behind that endeavor (Matthew 28:18-20). He didn’t just provide for our salvation, and then tell us that ‘sink or swim’ we are on our own until death and Heaven; no, He gave us a wonderful gift called the church to sustain us while still on Earth.
2. I Love Church Because It Is Good for Me.
Second Timothy 4:2-3 presents a choice for me, as Paul is instructing a young preacher about how things are supposed to be in church. The right choice is for me to be in church, around preaching that will “…reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” That means that the preaching part of church will be good for me, even if I don’t like it – it will correct me when I’m wrong; it will encourage me to keep going; it will keep me strong in Bible teachings.
The other option is presented in verse three: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”. God designed each Christian to be an active part of a specific church that He has “fitly joined” them to, according to Ephesians 4:16. When I am in the church that God has put me, I am in a place to be edified, (or built up) and encouraged by other believers, and I will be hearing the right kind of teaching and preaching that will help me grow. If not, I am in danger of only listening to what I want to hear and what makes me feel good, but is not good *for* me.
3. I Love Church Because It Is Good for Others.
Hebrews Chapter Ten encourages us about the importance of meeting together as a church, and tells us that it is part of faithfulness, and it helps others. Here is what it says in Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
As a church, we share testimonies and help each other grow and get through tough times. As a church, we sing together and fellowship together. As a church, we encourage each other to do right. As a church, we work together to win others to the Lord in God’s way and pattern. If I am not an active part of church, I miss out in being a help and blessing to others. Ultimately I will grow cold and selfish, because I was not designed to only receive God’s blessings, but also to glorify God by pointing others to Him and help my fellow believers around me. That’s why Hebrews 10 said that meeting together as a church should be more and more of a priority as we near the day that Christ returns – because the work of church is more important than ever.
Do you love church like Christ does? If so, perhaps we could work together in our community to have the testimony that the very first church did, as found in Acts 2:47, “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
It has been said that “it is always darkest just before dawn.” If you get up very early while it still dark, or have had an occasion to stay up all night, perhaps you have experienced this perception. It seems to get exceptionally dark, just before the first signs of dawn.
As I have researched this, I have found that those who measure the light of the sky say that they get the most questions about this phenomenon the two weeks before a new moon. The reason for this is probably that the moon can be seen after sunset, but not before sunrise.
These experts also tell us that there is no difference in the light of the night sky just before dawn – it is NOT really darker just before dawn; it is simply a matter of perception and perspective. The longer we are without light, the more we notice the dark, especially when there is no moon to brighten our night. It seems we subconsciously question whether the sun will ever come up again!
Just before the dawn of the Promised Messiah being born, there were some moments that must have been perceived as dark and scary for Mary and Joseph, yet the dawn was just around the corner! Let’s look at three, and see how the Lord used them for His glory.
First, there was The Darkness of a Government Mandate. Luke 2:1 and 3 says, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (3) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.”
History tells us that Caesar Augustus was a pompous ruler who was full of himself, thinking of himself like a god. He was intent on expanding his position and the Roman Empire and mandated a first-of-its-kind census and tax that facilitated his agenda. His mandate did not care about the inconvenience that it caused world-wide, or about who was hurt in the process.
Here’s the irony of this mandate: while Caesar Augustus was working on expanding his “godhood” status with this mandate, he facilitated the prophesied birthplace of the true Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Years before, Micah 5:2 had specified that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. In the midst of this government overreach, God was being glorified and prophecy was being fulfilled, because this mandate required Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem for Christ’s birth.
That leads us to the Second thing Joseph and Mary faced: The Darkness of a Difficult Trip. In two short verses we read the words about their trip, perhaps without much thought as to its difficulty: Luke 2:4-5, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) (5) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”
Bethlehem is about five miles South of Jerusalem, and about 70 miles directly South of Nazareth. When the Bible says that they went “up from Galilee,” it is because Bethlehem is higher in elevation. It is likely that Joseph and Mary, who was very pregnant, descended from Nazareth’s 1138 feet of elevation, down to the plains and forest along the Jordan River, then climbed back up the mountains surrounding Jerusalem to Bethlehem’s 2543 feet – all without a car. This route was probably more than ninety miles, and took them several days over every different type of terrain – forest, plains, deserts, and mountains.
The Bible says little about Joseph and Mary during this time. We know that Mary had joyfully submitted to serving the Lord in bringing Christ into the World. I know this: a trip like this had to have been tiring and trying to their joy; yet, God was working through this trip to fulfill in detail His prophetic Word!
Finally, there was The Darkness of an Imperfect Birthplace. Luke 2:6-7 tells us, “And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. (7) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Every new mother that I know makes plans for the way that she wants the birth to go – safely, comfortably, and memorably. This Birth had none of those elements, except maybe the memorable part. There simply was no room in the inn, so Jesus was born in perhaps a stable or cave, without the privacy and security that normally accompanies birth. Instead of that specially chosen first outfit, Baby Jesus was simply swaddled in cloths. Instead of that ideal and beautiful bassinet, He took His first naps in an animals’ manger.
But the dawn had come! The Messiah was born! On a countryside nearby, the angel of the Lord was bringing good tidings of great joy for all people: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (12) And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)
Those moments of perceived darkness for Joseph and Mary were not darkness at all! They were being proclaimed by the angel of God as a sign, pointing the way to the Messiah! The mandate – the trip – the Messiah in a manger – were all wrapped up now into a wonderful, glorious Christmas gift that was pointing the way for the whole world to receive Salvation!
Perhaps you have experienced some dark days, Christian. If you will let Him, God knows how to use those events to turn darkness into His glorious light. Don’t give up the fight – depend upon Him for strength instead. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6)
I think that just about every Sunday School child knows the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow down and worship the huge golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had made. The alternative, of course, was being burned alive in the fiery furnace. When they refused, they were brought before the King, and I think that their first statement gives us a look at their Godly perspective. They said, "We are not careful to answer thee in this matter."
Perhaps one might think that we should slow down, be careful, and make sure that we are doing right. That is not really what they were saying here. They absolutely WERE doing right. To be careful in those circumstances puts one in more danger of compromise; instead, you should run, not walk, toward the light of God's Word.
More than not being "careful" as we often think of it, however, it seems that there were a couple of things that they were stating:
1) They were not full of care about this. They knew what was right. They knew that it was in God's hands. They were at peace with it.
2) A debate was not necessary. They were determined to do what was right. They king was determined to do what was wrong. Their position was clear and settled and no discussion was necessary.
We should have the same resolve when faced with life's obstacles. There is no need to hesitate. There is not need to be overcome with care. There is no need for discussion. Let's just do what is right, regardless of the opposition.
(Daniel 3:16-18) "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. (17) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. (18) But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve t hy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
"He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants."
It is in reference to the Israelites just before they left Egypt to return to the Promised Land, just before the ten plagues on Egypt. They had been comfortable; the Egyptians liked them, and they liked the Egyptians. It was convenient, but they weren't supposed to be in Egypt.
So God orchestrated some events, and according to this verse, even turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate the Israelites. This working in the hearts of the Egyptians and the Israelites prompted the necessary change that moved the Israelites back to where God had called them to go.
What uncomfortable relationship is in your life right now? Is God trying to use it to push you towards Him? Maybe those unkind or unfair things that are happening to you are actually gifts from God to move you from a convenient relationship with Him to an obedient, personal relationship with Him, fully committed and dependent upon His leadership.
As we open the Book of Nehemiah, we find that Nehemiah learns about trouble in Jerusalem. These were his people, serving God - his God! Yet he was the King's Cupbearer in the palace; he wasn't in Jerusalem. What is he to do about these troubles?
He didn't try to solve them.
He didn't start talking about them.
He didn't ignore the troubles, either.
The first thing that he did with his troubles was that he took them to God! He fasted and prayed and poured out his heart to the One Who knows all, and can provide peace and direction.
He humbled himself in mourning and confessing sins, both his own, and those of his fathers and the children of Israel (vs. 4, 6).
He prayed for those who served God, that they would be strengthened by Him, and prosper (vs. 10, 11).
He kept on doing his responsibilities as a cupbearer (vs 11).
Ultimately God would direct and use Nehemiah in a great way in this situation, but this is where it started.
So what should you do with your troubles? Humble yourself before God; bring your troubles to Him. Pray for God's servants that are around you, such as your pastor and other co-laborers. Keep on keeping on, until God directs further action.
(Nehemiah 1:3-4) "And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,"
Christ in me - the only power a dead man has to live again and to live right. It's all Christ and none of me. Before Christ, I was dead in trespasses and sins; and without yielding to Christ living through me I have no power to overcome sin and live for God.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
One of the advantages of meeting openly in a park, and baptizing in the nearby river, is that sometimes people end up in church without realizing it.
Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Bicycle. Mr. Bicycle has no power in himself. He is a very useful instrument to his Master, but without his Master, he is simply a collection of gears, wheels, a chain, and a steerable frame.
